Mother's week here in Guatemala was a crazy, festive, tear, love-filled time. The week leading up to Mother's day was mostly a party during school kids running around the hallways, classes canceled to make newspaper baskets and paper plate teddy bears and cards. Cheesy love songs and Bob Marley melodies floated through the air, and occasionally they were understandable.
Friday was a day of performances - cowboy dances, a Jerry Springer re-enactment (horrifying to us volunteers, a laughter filled riot for the community), a Snow White and the Seven Dwarves performance and a clown. The funny thing about Mother's Day, is that the kids don't hang out with their mom's. They come to perform, but then head straight back upstairs. It was the funniest for me that the clown performed for 2 hours - just for the moms.
My kiddos were adorable, and of course - my favorite performance. The 6th graders made everyone cry. They pulled their mom's up and sang to them, and every one of them were balling and bursting with love for their mamas. . . . not a dry eye in the building for those 10 minutes.
My kiddos and their dance.
Singing You are my Sunshine
Some adorable dwarves
On Saturday, I took my house mom, Angela, and her family to the movie theater. It was so much fun! We saw Rio 2 - which was adorable. And while Angela's 19 year old son was a little bored, her 7 year old nephew laughed so hard he was in tears. It was Steven's first time to the cinema, and hearing his loud bursts of incontrollable laughter was my favorite part.
On Sunday, I went with Angela and her family to the cemetery to visit Angela's daughter. Six years ago, Astryd was shot and killed by the gang, and every 2 weeks for the last 6 years, Angela has made the long trek to visit her. I have heard so many stories about Astryd, her picture is the center piece in our living room, and I feel as though I know her. It was time for me to visit her.
The cemeteries here are much different - there are humongous above ground walls/tombs and each wall holds probably 300 people. Astryd's grave was at the top of this wall, and to give her flowers we had to climb a huge ladder. I was prepared for a sad day. But I can't describe the intense sadness I felt watching Angela climb the ladder with her 3 yellow roses. I was overcome with so much emotion thinking about a mother losing her child, and seeing the love that Angela has for her - to climb that ladder twice a month to see her daughter. When Angela came back down she gave me the longest hug, and as we were weeping on each other's shoulders, she told me "I knew today would be sad. But it is also happy. I lost one daughter, but God has given me another one."
So much love, I think sometimes my heart just might burst wide open.
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